In certain circumstances, birth control can be very important, and as such, great effort and research has been expended in this area. There are two primary areas of birth control for female use, other than surgery, including pharmaceutical, and mechanical approaches. Prescription birth control drugs are frequently used, but are expensive and can have adverse physical or mental side effects. Additionally, missing a dosage can have significant effects on the reliability of the treatment. To avoid these problems, many women rely on less expensive mechanical devices as a means for inhibiting conception.
Nearly all mechanical birth control devices and techniques attempt to block fluid transfer between either the vagina and the uterus or the oviducts and the uterus. By preventing fluid transfer between the uterus and the vagina and/or the oviducts, conception is prevented or at least minimized. Although existing mechanical devices and techniques prove adequate, they are often unreliable and difficult to construct and install. Temporary mechanical devices typically do not provide complete blockage resulting in a greater chance of conception. Permanent mechanical devices provide more reliable blockage, providing an almost complete prevention of conception, but are often difficult to install and expensive. Additionally, the installation is not reversible.
Thus, there is a need for a device for preventing conception that is easy to construct, easy to install, safe to use and that resists the occurrence of infection over an extended period of time.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus and methods for preventing fluid from passing into an oviduct of a female reproductive system.
Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for preventing fluid transfer through an opening connecting an oviduct to a uterine cavity.
And another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for preventing fluid transfer through an opening connecting an oviduct to a uterine cavity which is extremely effective and can be reversed.